Dust-guard for sprockets and chains of bicycles



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet -1. H. HILL. DUST GUARD FOR SPROGKETS ANDCHAINS 0F BIGYGLES.

Patented June 8,1897.

(Vii E 5 5 E 5.

W 10. mm

{No Model.) a sheets-sheen. H. HILL.

DUST; GUARD FOR SPROGKETS AND CHAINS 0F BIGYGLES.

Patented June 8,1897.

Fig 10.

Y/L'i asses.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet s.

. H. HILL. DUST GUARD FOR SPROGKETS AND CHAINS or BIOYGLES.

No. 583,904 Patented June 8, 1897.-

'mfqassas- 5 W 0 WM hJK THE nonms mtws ca. PNOTO-UYMQ, \vhEHmGTOM m c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY HILL, OF \VHITMAN, MASSACHUSETTS.

DUST-GUARD FOR SPROCKETS AND CHAINS OF BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,904, dated June 8,1897.

Application filed June 29, 1896.

. and Chains of Bicycles, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a parthereof.

When the sprockets and chain are exposed, as is usually the case, moreor less dust and gritty particles collect on them and wear the parts andincrease the friction.

The object of my invention is to provide a cover or guard to inclose andprotect the sprockets and chain and which is easily separable, the novelfeatures of which will be more fully described, and particularly pointedout in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle, showing myimproved dustgua-rd attachment. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 8 isa side elevation of the upper and lower portions of the dust-guarddetached and unlocked with a part of one side broken away to show theinside lining of the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a detail plan of thespring Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the dustguard locked. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal sect'ion of the lower cover f of the upper half of theguard. Fig. 6 is an inside View of said cover f. Fig. 7 is alongitudinal section of the upper cover fof the lower half of the guard.Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation and an inside elevation of one of theinside end covers detached. Fig. 9 is a detail side and an insideelevation of the opposite inside end cover detached. Fig. 10 is a detailside elevation and a plan of a modification in place of the disk D onthe hub of the sprocket. Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation and a planof a modification in place of the disks D and D on the hub of the rearsprocket. Fig. 12

is a side elevation and a section of the disk D on the axle of theforward sprocket. Fig. 13 is a section on line 13 18 of Fig. 2. Fig.

1a is a section on line 14 14: of Fig. 2. Fig. 15 is a side view of thedust-guard, showing the modification, Fig. 10, with the flanges cl dinserted in pockets in the guard. Fig. 16 is a side view showing themodification, Fig..11,

Serial No. 597,497. (No model.)

inserted in position. Fig. 17 is a plan of the dust-guard employing themodification, Fig. 11.

The bicycle is of any well-known construction in which sprockets areemployed. The dust-guard when put together forms a close box around thechain and sprockets, with a longitudinal opening B through the middle.It comprises an upper portion B, n-shaped in cross-section, and a lowerportion O, U- shaped in cross-section, both being closed at the ends.The sides of each are recessed on the edges, these recesses forming theopening B when the two portions are brought to gether. The upper portionB preferably has downwardly-projecting flanges m m at the ends of therecesses which overlap the edges 71, n of the lower portion 0, forming atight joint. There are curved notches m m in the edges near the forwardends, which together form the opening for the axle a, and the curvednotches n n near the rear ends form together the opening for the axle b.The two portions 13 (J are clamped firmly together by the spring-catcheso p at one end and 0' p at the other end. The springs 0 o are each madewith a neck and knob at the end, and the springs 19 p are each forked atthe end to catch the knob. It is obvious that these spring-catches canbe modified in various ways. In order to close the guard on the insidearound the edges of the slot B, I employ the flanged covering-strips ff6 e, which are just wide enough to extend across the sides and ends ofthe slot B and permit the flanges to clamp the sides of the portions BC, so as to form a tight joint. The end covering-strip c has flanges g 9which project inwardly, bearing against the sides of the strips f f tomake a close joint at the corners and also to help keep the strips inposition. A bowspring 1;, compressed between the strips ff.

and pressing against the end strip e, also serves to hold the strips inplace. The projections i on the strips ff are stops for the ends of thespring 71 to abut against. The strip e, which closes the other end ofthe slot B, has spring-flanges g g, which project inwardly, beingcompressed between the strips ff and abutting against the stops it h.

The strips ff have upon their inside faces brushes or pads Z, of felt orother soft material,

and the three other insidefaces of the, case have similar brushes k,which brush the chain as it passes through and clean it from anysuperfluous oil or other lubricant or any foreign matter, and alsorender the chain noiseless.

The split or grooved disks D D, one of which is shown in detail in Fig.12, each having a hole in the middle, form bearings for the hub of theaxle a of the forward sprocket. The sides of the casing B O fit snuglyinto constructed as the disk D, receive the sides of the portions B Oand form bearings for the hub of the axle b of the rear sprocket, ashown in Fig. 1.4-.

In the modification shown in Figs. 10 and 15 a different device isemployed in place of the inside disk D on the axle-a. The deviceconsists of a bracket comprising a plate-1d 61, having fixed thereon aconcave rest c; ends; oi the plate 61 dslide into pockets (1' d on. theupper'and lower portionsB O, as shown in 15., and. the rest 0 supportsthe hub-of" the axle In. the modifications shown in Figs. 11,16,

and 17 a: diflierentv device is employed in place i of the. disks, D D'on the axle The device consists of a-bent clip S, which embraces bothsides of thedust-gnard atthe end. The. portion which takes the place oitheinside disk between the: two branches ,8 .9;

arm .8" has a hole for the'axle b. The clip should preferably be ofspring metal, so. that 5 it will have to be sprung slightly in order toThe put it position. The projections s" s" on the side of the box serveas guides to keep the clip steady.

My improved dust-guard thus completely incloses the sprockets and chain,and is easily I I separable as to its parts and detachable from thewheel, no bolts or screws being required to hold the parts together.

WVhat I claim is- I 1. A dust-guard for the sprocket chain and 'WllGGlSof bicycles and the like comprising 2 two main box portions which shutonto each T other, recessesin the edges of the box por- E tions whichform a slot throughthe box when 5 said portions are brought together,and degtachable spring-clamped covering-strips for the sides and ends ofsaid slot, and pads on the inside walls and on the inside of said sidecovering-strips of the box, substantially as and for the. purposedescribed.

2-- A separable dust guard for the sprocket HENRY HILL.

Witnesses CHAS. P. FESSEND'EN, J OHN More.

@ohain and wheels ofbicycles and the like comprising two main boxportions which shut j onto each other, one forming a cover for the50131161, recesses in the edges of the box portions which form aslotthrough the box when 5 the portions are brought. together,c.overi'ngistrips for the sides and ends of said slot, spring-clampswhich hold theeovering-strips Kin position, notches in the edges of thebox f portions which. together form openings: for the axles ofthesprockets, grooved perforated disks which form bearingsafior the axlesof the sprocket-wheels, and whose grooves. receive j the adjacent edgesof the; box portions, substantially as described.

D isforked, the axle b resting in the: fork g The. other i

